A Shaggy Dog Story

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the April 1st robot dog announcement by Evri, the UK’s biggest dedicated parcel delivery company was an April Fool’s prank, but the business has revealed it wasn’t a barking mad joke and is pleased to confirm it will trial an autonomous robot delivery dog later this year.

Last year, Evri celebrated fifty years of deliveries with a nostalgic look back at how delivery and consumer habits have evolved over the past five decades. As part of a report, consumers were asked what they thought the future of delivery would look like; only 16% of respondents thought that robots would eventually be delivering their parcels but for some of our consumers, they won’t have to wait long for this futuristic vision to be realised.

In a UK first, the robotic version of man’s best friend will work in partnership with a courier to deliver parcels in a trial set for summer 2025. There’s no need to keep this dog on a lead – with sophisticated automation, the four-legged robot dog will be able to hop in and out of the courier’s van as it makes its way to and from homes delivering parcels and taking some of the leg work out for the courier.

An Evri spokesperson said: “Couriers always have and always will be the heart of our business. Robots will never replace them, but we are dedicated to finding new and innovative methods to support our couriers and increase the speed and convenience of the services we offer. In this next stage of innovation, we are thrilled to introduce both these robot delivery trials, which could provide increased flexibility and choice for consumers.”

The autonomous canine has been developed by RIVR, a Swiss global innovation leader in physical AI. In partnership with Evri, the focus of the trial is to gain insight into how the robot dogs can work with couriers to improve efficiency support with some of the more strenuous parts of the job.

The robot dog trial is just one of several robot trials Evri is conducting as it looks to the future of parcel delivery, with the goal of providing a helping paw to couriers and developing solutions that will complement its delivery offering alongside couriers.

Innovation at The Business Village with Evri and Delivers AI

Operating out of The Business Village (BBIC Ltd), a small and light EV robot, developed by Delivers AI, will also soon be out daily delivering parcels with the support of the local courier. This summer, residents on a chosen street in Barnsley will have the option to have all their parcels delivered by these robots for the three-month trial. Residents will have the option to sign up for the trial via a dedicated website.

These robots can be deployed 24 hours a day, allowing for nighttime deliveries for consumers on different schedules, or more on-demand services with designated time slots for consumers. The robots can also be used to support consumers who need more time to get to the door. Evri expects to uncover unexpected benefits as part of the trial. Additionally, Evri will be taking the robot into local schools to demonstrate its capabilities to young children and give them the chance to name the robot.

Evri aims to reach net zero by 2035, and these robots can support and further that ambition by facilitating more sustainable deliveries.

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